We did it, we moved. On a Wednesday in March we set off from Perranarworthal in pretty strong winds with our home in tow. When we were queuing in traffic on a hill on an approach to a roundabout and the Navara wouldn’t hold the weight of the truck on the handbrake while Neil put her in gear I was a bit stressed. Neil assured me that when we have the new auto Navara this would not be a problem.
Just leaving 
All packed ready to go
After travelling for about 30minutes we pulled over to check that nothing had fallen over. It had. One box I hadn’t secured properly had thrown my sewing supplies all over the place. Luckily nothing broken or lost.
For our first trip I hadn’t wanted to drive all the way to Leamington, Warwickshire in one trip so I had booked a site in Cheddar, Somerset thinking it approximately halfway and that Cheddar was “just off” the M5 motorway. It is about halfway time wise but Cheddar is a 30minute drive off the motorway and we (that is Neil) had to negotiate twisting narrow roads and small villages to get to the site I’d booked. I kept apologising to Neil as I had picked the place not realising what the roads would be like. The site was great with views across Somerset to Glastonbury Tor. However, it was on a hillside, the same one as Cheddar Gorge and the wind continued to sweep across the flat and up the hill. It was pretty much like being on the boat bobbing in the water being buffeted by the wind.
We did only stay the one night as it was just to break the journey and the next day we headed up to Leamington. We were booked on a site in Harbury, village close to Leamington. The site was a gem. Tucked up a long lane hidden from the road and close to both Dad’s nursing home and Mums.
We spent a few days catching up with friends and family and then the following Tuesday headed up the M6 to Rhuallt, near Rhyl, in North Wales. The site next to the Fifth Wheel factory is owned by them and set in lovely countryside.
Wednesday we took the van next door for the first day of the two day service and were shown around not just the service centre but also the manufacturing side which was really interesting.
We left the van for the day and, in our new Navara, headed to Llandudno for a spot of sightseeing. It was a glorious sunny day, bright blue skies and unseasonably warm. I was pleasantly surprised by Llandudno. A traditional Victorian (I’m guessing) seaside resort which still retains a lot of it’s original charm and the pier. We had a pootle along the pier and sat in the sun. It would have been nice to go on the cable car or tram up to Great Orme but we were too early in the season and they were not yet operating.
Llandudno, the coat came off after the pic 
Neil on the pier Llandudno
The van having had a full service, new tyres, batteries, water pump, central heating check and other jobs looking at we are now confident that she is safe and ready for travelling.
I have to say that North Wales is not short of a castle. We went to Denbigh Castle (not open so looked from the outside), Conwy Castle (brilliant) and Gwrych Castle which was huge and was built as a folly, not as old as it looks despite it’s dilapidated state. We stopped at St Mary’s Church, Bodelwyddan also known as the White Church which was beautiful. Again, not as old as it looks but fabulous craftsmanship.
Top of Conwy Castle 
Gwrych Castle
The White Church, St Mary’s Church Bodelwyddan 
A gargoyle on the White Church
We went to Betwys-y-Coed one morning to see Swallow Falls. I had been as a teenager when I was on a school trip to Marle Hall. What it is they say about returning somewhere where you had good memories only to be disappointed. I was. Not with the falls themselves but the fact that it was £2 per person to go through an automated turnstile to see a natural phenomenon. The £2 would appear to be needed to maintain the turnstile itself as there was only one tatty bench and the railings were in very poor condition. Holding onto the very rusty railings as I went up/down the steps, I was glad that I’d not long had my tetanus shot.
Swallow Falls, Betwys-y-coed 
Swallow Falls, Betwys-y-coed
After our extended stay we set off back to Harbury to spend a week in Leamington continuing with visiting friends and family. This time we had two Navara trucks. Neil towed the van with the new truck and I headed back in the black one.
We managed to get the same spot at Harbury and had a very pleasant week catching up. On Fridays at the site they have a wood-fired pizza van serving handmade pizza which were very tasty.
Neil left very early one morning to head back to Perranarworthal in one trip and I left a day later in the black Navara after spending some extra time with my friend Maria.
It was nice getting back the next day and everything was set up and level.
The black truck is now sold and we have had our trip back to Cartagena to handover Gleda to her new owners (a separate post) and we are now thinking about our summer travels.